400 demand end to Unitywater

The 400 people who crammed Lake Kawana Community Centre last night called for the State Government to disband water retailer Unitywater and return control to the Sunshine Coast Council.

They made it clear they did not believe their meters were being read, and had little faith in the accuracy of their accounts.

The meeting unanimously voted that meters should be read twice a year and a bill sent twice a year reflecting those readings.

Unitywater CEO Jon Black had a team of eight staff on hand to answer specific billing questions.

But despite his claim that Unitywater had no systemic billing problems and that the organisation received calls from people congratulating it, those at Kawana last night spoke repeatedly about unread meters and exorbitant usage levels for properties that had lain empty for long periods.

Mr Black acknowledged the concerns and said that the organisation would have to get better at doing the job and embrace new technologies that would allow people to have daily access to their consumption levels via wi-fi technology and their computers.

He said under the legislation Unitywater was only required to read meters once a year but the amount of feedback indicated the retailer should commit to reading the meter for every account sent out, whether that be quarterly or half yearly.

Peter Bryant, of the residents group Southern Sunshine Coast, said the region had been subjected to a series of big lies. First of these was that amalgamations would bring down rates.

Next was that Unitywater would bring costs down.

Mr Bryant said what was really happening was that the State Government was removing the level of people’s influence.

Joy Sandham, of Park Haven body corporate, told the meeting the 86-unit complex, occupied mostly by people living alone or in couples, paid $66,650 in water and sewage connection fees compared with the $23,000 that would have been paid if 30 houses occupied the land.

Ms Sandham questioned whether those charges were equitable given the limited demand the elderly placed on the infrastructure, winning a concession from Mr Black that Unitywater would look at the issue of reduced charges for single occupancy.

Not so fortunate was Paul Westbury, who reckoned that the two times he had used the toilet in an industrial shed he owns had cost him more than $200 a go.

The meeting, called by Kawana MP Jarrod Bleijie and moderated by Sunshine Coast Daily editor Mark Furler, also passed a motion of no confidence in the Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson, and the Bligh Government.